In recognition of distinguished acts of bravery, leadership, and achievement that have an enduring impact on American history, Congress is authorized to bestow its highest civilian honor – the Congressional Gold Medal – on individuals whose contributions and
service to our nation stand as a testament to our founding principles.

I wanted to bring to your attention an
op-ed published today in The Hill authored by Puerto Rico’s former Governor and Resident Commissioner Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá exposing the dishonest nature of the case being made in favor of Puerto Rico’s statehood. Throughout my career in Congress,
I have been a staunch advocate for self-determination – the right of the Puerto Rican people to decide their own destiny with respect to the Island’s political status. At such a critical moment in Puerto Rico’s political history, I urge caution prior to taking
a position on an issue that should be decided by the people living in Puerto Rico themselves. Instead of imposing on Puerto Rico any particular political status (whether it be statehood, free association, independence or any other option for that matter),
Congress ought to provide an open, fair, and transparent process for the people of Puerto Rico to decide for themselves their own future political relationship with the United States.

Today, the world is flourishing in this era of computing, information transfer, made possible by the digital revolution. As we continue to push the limits of technology, we must deal with cyber threats. However, with innovation, we are seeing more dangerous
threats to computing networks and dependent systems. Protecting our nation from cyber-attack is the responsibility of all Americans.

I invite you to join me as an original cosponsor of the “Continue American Sanctuaries Act (CASA),” legislation which
extends Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen until January 21, 2021. The bill also grants TPS for Guatemalans currently in the U.S. who are impacted
by the devastating June 3 volcanic eruption of Volcan de Fuego in southern Guatemala.

I invite you to join me as a co-sponsor of H.R. 940, Securing Communications of Utilities from Terrorist Threats or the SCOUTS Act, a bill which directs DHS to secure our Nation’s vital infrastructure from attacks. Owners and operators of critical
infrastructure need the support of DHS in order to adequately combat the cybersecurity threats of the 21st century.